Ward mammatt gregory



. providing a novel,

Par nt Genres,

PAUL \VARD AND EDVARD MAMMATT EXPLOSIVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 454,239, dated June 16, 1891.

Application filed June 5, 1890. Serial No. 354,383.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, PAUL \VARD and ED- WARD MAMMATT GREGORY, subjects of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and re siding at London,in the county of Middlesex, England, have invented an Improved Priming and Detonating Composition, of which the following is a specification.

' Our invention relates to the adaptation of a composition suitable for priming to the purposes also of detonation by the addition of a further-ingredient to the composition, thus cheap, and elfective detonating material, and one manufact-u red at a minimum risk, suitable for use in any fuse or for similar purposes.

-We form the chief basis of our explosive composition by the admixture of the ingredicuts, as follows: powdered coke, two pounds; amorphous phosphorus, one pound; pure chlorate of potash, sevent -five pounds, with the addition of benzole, chloride=0f carbon, or acetate of amyl. The amorphous phosphorus and chlorate of potash are ground separately in a mortar or other vessel under one of the above fluids. The amorphous phosphorus is then submerged with either of the above fluids. Chlorate of potash is then I added and the two ingredients are ground together under sufficient fluid to keep the mass from clogging. When this has been done for 'asnitable time, coke is then added in powder and the whole is againground for a short time. This forms an excellent priming composition, and by the addition thereto of paraffine or common tallow oil the powder will be enabled to cake together after the grind- (No specimmw ing-fluids have evaporated. This reduces its sensitiveness to friction or percussion without detracting from its explosive violence or its sensitiveness to an electric current, and thus constitutes an excellent dctonating composition.

\Ve have found that the detonating effects of this compound are most pronounced when it'is detonated by the previous explosion of a priming composition occurring at the closed end of a fuse and detonator-case, where the compression of the gases'rfrdin the exploding priming composition causes intensely rapid combustion and consequent detonationin the detonating,-charg The manufacture, as above described, of this detonating composition is much less dangerous than where the usual fulminate of mercury is employed, and the addition of parailine-oil to the composition serves also to prevent oxidation of the ingredients'when stored.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention and.

the same is to be performed,

in what manner we declare that what We claim is A detonating composition consisting of powdered coke, amorphous phosphorus, chlorate of potash, and parafiine-oil, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PAUL WARD. EDWARD MAMMAT'I GREGORY.

lVitnessesr' RICHARD A. HOFFMANN, (.nARLns H. CARTER.

GREGORY, OF LONDON, EN iLANl). 

